As a mentor in the Seek Our Ways Social Innovation Program, which is fully supported by Hang Seng Bank and organized by the Youth Association Leadership Academy, I have worked with more than 400 secondary and tertiary students from all over Hong Kong in the past six months. Through policy analysis and social innovation training, I witnessed how they transformed their creativity into influential action plans. I led a series of policy analysis workshops to help students understand the institutional roots behind social problems and learn how to propose forward-looking solutions based on evidence and public interest. It was a meaningful experience to be able to intensively train them to be creative in the three major themes of "environment and sustainable development", "sports for all" and "healthy aging". The students who advanced to the finals presented innovative solutions ranging from plastic substitutes, matching platforms for elderly centers, to eco-friendly leather made from apple peels. They are not just participants, but also designers of the future society 😁.
